Software Engineer

Background

Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high bandwidth optical data transport.

Current energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure. Cowboy Space Corporation overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable energy distribution and data processing from space. This will revolutionize how we operate in orbit and on Earth, supporting the rapidly expanding space industrial base, ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) operations, remote regions, and military bases.

Baiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.

This is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation ’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.

The Role

As a Software Engineer at Cowboy Space Corp., you will build the systems that control, operate, and scale our spacecraft and ground infrastructure. This includes flight software, simulation, mission control systems, and the tooling needed to test and operate hardware in real time.

This is a highly ownership-driven role where you’ll work across the stack-from low-level systems interacting with hardware to higher-level services that enable mission operations. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware teams (propulsion, power, avionics) to bring up systems, validate performance, and ensure reliable operation in demanding environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain software for spacecraft systems, ground systems, and mission operations
• Develop flight software that interfaces directly with hardware and supports real-time control
• Build simulation and testing frameworks to validate system behavior before deployment
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to integrate, test, and debug systems end-to-end
• Write performant, reliable code for resource-constrained and mission-critical environments
• Develop internal tools to support testing, automation, and operational workflows
• Participate in system bring-up, integration, and launch preparation activities
• Monitor and support on-orbit operations, including debugging and performance optimization
• Contribute to system architecture decisions across software and hardware boundaries
• Balance speed, reliability, and scalability in a fast-paced development environment

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of experience building production software systems
• Strong programming skills in languages such as C++, Python, or Rust
• Experience working close to hardware, distributed systems, or real-time systems
• Solid understanding of systems fundamentals (operating systems, networking, concurrency)
• Experience working in fast-paced, engineering-driven environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with flight software, embedded systems, or robotics
• Background in aerospace, autonomous systems, or high-reliability environments
• Experience building simulation frameworks or hardware-in-the-loop testing systems
• Familiarity with Linux-based systems and low-level debugging
• Experience with cloud infrastructure or distributed systems for mission operations
• Track record of owning systems end-to-end in high-ownership environments

Why This Role Is Different

• Work across the full stack-from hardware interfaces to mission operations
• Direct impact on real spacecraft and on-orbit performance
• Fast iteration cycles with tight hardware/software integration
• High ownership and autonomy in a small, high-caliber team
• Opportunity to help define software systems for a new class of space infrastructure

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $200,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance if applicable
• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.